


Closure

by PenelopeShips



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Also Kashvi/Harper brainrot, Andy and Astia really said I love you and kissed, Astia has bangs, Closure, Daenan has a fuqboi cut, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fatal Forteold, Gods they're so broken, Grothnarr found he couldn't drink gender and is enby, I have Andy/Astia brainrot, Kashvi has a lesbian mullet, Kashvi is a Home Depot gay, Living Failures, M/M, Multi, Orlaith is just trying to be a good mom, Private Campaign, The audacity of my shipping, Yes Harper is a Harpy it was a good bit okay, over and over, they're so broken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25535497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenelopeShips/pseuds/PenelopeShips
Summary: It's almost time for the big feast at Orlaith's cabin! 6 months after the fallout of the Fatal Foretold's 4 years of world-saving adventures, Astia ends up having to play group therapist once again as old friends arrive, baking-related tension flares up, and everyone realizes that they are not okay but trying.We were only starting the bigger story quests, so most of what I reference on adventures is just stuff I made up, especially the adventure's climax I slowly reveal. 😝 We had a lot of character work though so yes I am justified in making a big fic about it thanks.If any of my party reads this, thanks for a stellar character-driven campaign, even if it was only part of it. I mostly made this for my own closure, but I'd be honored if you felt a satisfying closure from it too. (and sorry if I took too much liberty with your character! 😬)Suggested Listening: The Sun is Scheduled to Come Out Tomorrow - Chris Zabriskie
Relationships: Adoptive Mother Orlaith, Astia/Andy, Daenan/Maggs, Grothnarr/Alcohol, Kashvi/Harper
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Closure

Our cast from left to right: Andy, Orlaith, Kashvi, Astia, & Daenan; Made a while ago on a deleted Picrew :(

Astia walked up to the cabin door, arms filled with bags of flour and sugar from town after Orlaith asked her to pick them up. Astia was happy to leave the cabin for a bit and feel some of the fresh mountain air that reminded her of her first home, though the quiet outside compared to the noise of the house didn't hurt. They had been in a frenzy trying to put together everything for today’s celebration at the last minute. She could already hear the shouts inside; Kashvi’s cooking machines whirring, Andy’s sweet-yet-brash cadence as she chased the kids around the house, Orlaith’s nervous calls for them all to calm down. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the whirlwind inside.

“Hi, Love!” Andy said, her mess of dark hair bouncing as she chased the children past the open doorway before popping up real quick to give Astia a peck on the cheek, only to continue chasing the kids into one of the bedrooms. Astia looked around at the mess the cabin was in. The adjoined lounge room and kitchen was strewn with various wooden toys on one side and the remnants of the last flour spill on the other.

“Astia! You’re back! Could you take over stirring while I settle these rascals down?” Orlaith asked, looking like she was on the verge of snapping. When she was in Fall, Orlaith had a tendency to bottle up more than she did let it out like Summer or bounce it off like Winter. “I don’t know why I thought I could handle three new kids. It’s been over a year and I'm already too exhausted to keep going.”

“Of course Orlaith,” Astia said calmly, setting down the bags of powder on the counter before taking the spoon from her as she stepped into the position Orlaith was in. “And Andy will help too. Right Honey?” Astia continued with her louder voice, hearing no change if not an increase in running and screaming noises. “I know some parents in town who’re ready to take them in if you think you can’t…”

“No!” Orlaith said with a bit more intensity in her frantic energy before pulling her fallen leaf-auburn hair back and breathing deep to bring herself back down. “No, I can’t move them again. Children shouldn’t be displaced like that repeatedly. Besides, they’re not all that bad really. They’re really sweet! Why just the other day Basil convinced the younger two to make me breakfast while I was still sleeping in my cot. They even found a way to prevent the eggshells from falling in the omelet this time! Palm and Lotus are still so cute as well, watching them grow honestly does more for my psyche now than I could ever do for them, but that doesn’t mean I’m not trying. I’m not going to just let them go because I’m tired, what kind of mother…”

She stopped as she noticed Astia was looking at her with a wry smirk and sighed out the defensiveness and stress with a head-shaking smile.

“Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there.” Orlaith said with a teasing eye roll. “Thank you my _Athena _.”__ She quietly said to Astia before marching over to wrangle the children and Andy. Astia stirred quietly for a respiteful moment as the various sounds of food prep and discipline went on. One of the higher-pitched mechanical noises stopped as a figure stepped up from a crouch behind the other side of the counter. Astia jumped a bit in surprise, spilling a little of whatever Orlaith had asked her to stir.

“I never learned Fey,” Kashvi said, holding what she had called a ‘drill’ which had quickly become one of the most useful tools in the town's construction projects after it’s invention, “Do you mind if I ask what that means? _Athena _?”__ Astia stared for a moment. Kashvi must have stopped in while Astia was in town. She wasn’t used to seeing Kashvi outside of work too often anymore so it was strange to see her in her civies with that thick tool belt. Astia noticed that she must’ve stared for a bit too long, because Kashvi broke the silence. “Sorry if I scared you there. Or if that was a weird question.” She said rubbing the back of her neck, shifting the back of her fresh cut mullet. “You know me Boss, just curious! Forget I said anything!” Kashvi said, putting her drill back on her tool belt and leaning on the counter. “Orlaith asked me to fix the bottom of the counter after Lotus broke some of the boards after their last magical ‘fit’.” Kashvi didn’t sound bitter about magic like she had before their experiences in Mecha, which reminded Astia of the maturity she’d taken on over the years, but she still talked just as fast as she had when they all met. Astia stepped down to wipe up what she had spilled and smiled at the memories of before.

“You’re fine Kashvi, I didn’t know you’d come in while I was gone.” Astia finally responded standing back up. “Orlaith started calling me her " _Athena_ "after our second time trapped in the Fey Wilds. She said it means something about wisdom and...war?...wisdom in war?...I never really pushed it. It just sounds nice though, doesn’t it?” Astia said. Kashvi nodded.

“A sufficient answer Boss.” Kashvi pulled back from the counter to pull her choppy, dark hair into a ponytail as best she could.

“And you don't have to keep calling me ‘Boss’. It’s Astia out here. I have a life outside of work, Kashvi.” She said with a teasing smile.

“We’re still technically in town limits, so I’d say as long as you’re here, your life is work...” She paused for dramatic effect for the reader “...Mayor Astia.” Kashvi retorted with a chuckle. “Besides, I rarely see you outside of work anyway.” Kashvi was still smiling but had turned away a bit and had that vacant look she used to get when they were all first reconciling with what had gone down on the day of the dethronement.

Astia took a quiet, deep breath. They all held trauma from that day, but Kashvi had been the hardest to get to acknowledge or talk about how she had been hurt. Denial was a hard nut to crack. Astia remembered when she and the others finally got through to her. “I’m supposed to be the rock! How can I be your rock if I’m broken too?” There had been a lot of crying and it was a slow process, but finding an actual therapist for them all was essential to their recovery. Therapy day with Milandra wasn’t until Tuesday, but Astia would do her best if it meant helping her friends.

“I would love to hang out outside of work more Kashvi, though it seems like you’re always running off somewhere whenever a chance comes up.”

“Well, you know me Bo- Astia,” Kashvi looked away, embarrassed at letting her last comment slip, regretting saying anything. “I’ve always got the next building project or invention for the town.” Astia stared at her with those ice-blue eyes, intrigued but unconvinced. “And-and Harper too, she still isn’t confident enough to go into town, so I make sure to care for her too and keep her company at home.” Kashvi gently and sneakily touched her neck where the newest scratches were with a grin. “Which I don’t mind,” she added not-so-subtly. Astia still stared, kindly but sternly. Kashvi knew that she couldn’t dance around it like she had been able to in the past. “Ah, Okay.’ Kashvi resigned. “You got me with the trademark stare.” She sighed and grinned again with a chuckle. “I don’t know how Andy can handle so much maturity but gods bless her for it.” Kashvi smiled at Astia and Astia smiled back but still silently stared, the only sounds being Orlaith joining in with the kids playing outside now. Astia found that while Kashvi could fast talk herself into nearly any situation, she shouldn’t be allowed to talk right out of them, so her solution was just letting her go on until she spilled. “Ungh so... I know things are different now… but I’m finally settling in with y’all, how close you and me were, like before the battle.” At this Astia flinches and immediately regrets it. She knows what Kashvi is talking about, and betraying her calm exterior won’t help. “Yeah...we’ve talked about it, but it’s just hard to trust y’all again. First the whole Allfather thing with Andy...thinking Daenan ran away...and what you did before running after Andy by yourself...I know it was for the best. But it still hurts, Astia. It’s easier to just hide away with Harper and dig into the work around here. It’s still easier to call you Boss just because it helps...distance... myself from... well... you.” Letting Kashvi talk works, but Astia had forgotten the way her raw words could hurt. She tried to stay stoic as she had before, but Kashvi must have seen a tinge of it on her face. “I’m sorry.” They stood in the silence once more, Kashvi’s head hung low.

Kashvi laughs with a little choke and as she looks up Astia can see her eyes have welled up. “I want to trust you Astia, all of you, I’m just scared and I’m _guilty_ that I’m scared,” she says with a sad smile. “Y’all were my family.” She looks back down and a sob forces its way out. Astia rushes over to the other side of the counter to hold Kashvi in a tight hug.

“ _We_ are your family Kashvi,” Astia says softly, causing more sobs. “We love you Kashvi, we want you in our lives. Trust us as much as you’d like, Andy, Orlaith, and I are here for you as much as you’ll have us.”

“For Harper too?” Kashvi asks weakly after untucking herself from Astia’s arm.

“And for Harper,” Astia says with a calming smile.

Kashvi chuckles as she unwraps herself from Astia’s hug and starts wiping away her tears, “Gods my mascara’s streaking.”

Astia chuckles back “Who else would I call to fix the power system you built?”

“Wow, a joke after I just cried all over you. You truly are desperate to keep me around.” Kashvi smiled back, making eye contact with Astia, which seemed much softer to her than they had before. “I’m sorry again, I want to be y'all's rock so bad.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, just with us on Karaoke night this Thursday, ok?”

“Ok, but you haven’t heard Harper on that machine yet. Her voice is hypnotic. Am I allowed to make Harpy jokes if my girlfriend is?” They laugh again until it becomes quiet. This time the silence is honey-sweet between two friends.“Thank you...Astia.”

“Of course Kashvi.” They hug again, this time softer and sweeter.

There’s a loud thump outside, then silence, then crying.

Kashvi gently lets go of the hug and picks up some loose screws. “I’ll go check it out Astia. You get that stirring form down before Orlaith thinks you’re sabotaging her cooking,” She says with a wink. Kashvi gets to the back door and before stepping out looks back at Astia one more time. “Thanks again _Athena _.__ ” As the door closes behind her Astia feels thankful to have her friend back. She returns to her side of the counter, resuming the stirring of something that she still didn’t know anything about and may have settled more than Orlaith would like.

A knock at the front door startles Astia again. “Fucking Caliburnes” she whispers to herself as she sets the stirring bowl back down to answer the door. “Who’s here this early?” She asks no one in particular. As the door swings open the first thing Astia sees is the mask. It’s shiny porcelain white with puckered, red-painted lips and pink exaggerated blush circles. The eye holes are surrounded in black in cat’s eye form and the eyes under it are a familiar golden-brown. The figure behind the mask has a large shield on his back, wears a leather coat over adventuring gear. He stares at Astia expectantly then back and forth nervously before Astia reacts stuntedly. She jumps into a defensive position, grabbing a nearby coat rack the figure of Flint starting to appear in front of her. “Who the fuck are you?” She asks, pointing the coat rack at the figure.

“Do I really look that different, Astia?” Astia recognizes the voice almost immediately, even if it does sound more self-assured. His long, brown locks have been cut short on the sides and the top drapes down ever so slightly over the top of his mask.

“Daenan?” Astia says, her mind still wrapping around who and how he was standing in front of her. She let the coat rack fall and Flint scampered up her shoulder, half materialized. Daenan takes off his mask, revealing his badly burned face.

“How’s my favorite fruit lupe?” He said in a pet voice to Flint, who cowered behind Astia’s chopped bob. “I thought I’d surprise y’all. I was passing by a few stops away but I convinced Maggs to come this way so we could celebrate with y’all- I mean you guys. Damn! My Maggs’s vocab is making its way into mine.” Daenan gives a huge grin which is only received by a blank stare from Astia. “Astia? Are you okay?” He snapped a couple of times to see if he could break her daze.”Do you mind if I come in?” Daenan asks, pointing inside after a short quiet.

“Uh, sure.” Astia snapped out of her daze, stepping out of the doorway for him to come in. “And Maggs is welcome inside too,” She looked over to the dusty cowboy glancing around faux-casually by the boys’ cart.

Daenan motioned to Maggs before stepping inside and Maggs started to get the cart and horses ready to moore closer to the cabin. “I love what...whoever...has done with the place!” Daenan joked, hoping to get a response from his nearly catatonic friend.

“Orlaith,” Astia said without humor and wide eyed still. “Orlaith and her kids live here normally.”

“Oh, I’m glad she was finally able to find a spot to settle down with them. I’m guessing that the abundance of kids in town are adoptees too Ms. Mayor?”

“Uh, yeah. Once we founded the town we were able to find homes for those kids Orlaith and Grothnarr freed.”

“And little Palm? My little troublemaker?” Daenan said with a twinkling grin.

“Here, actually. Orlaith adopted them along with Basil and Lotus if you remember them.” Astia said relaxing the tiniest bit.

“It’s only been like 6 months, Astia. Of course I remember Baylor and Locust.” He said with mock confidence.

“Basil & Lotus.” She finally felt herself drop her shoulders with a small, breathy laugh.

“I missed you guys.” And just like that, the tension was back. Daenan looked down and softly kicked a toy. Astia stood in silence again, the six foot statue of tight muscle and magic she was. “Maggs is great company, but a lover is not family. Not like the one we had anyway.” He picked up a children’s book and flipped through it a bit. “I miss Andy, her confidence, her strong and stubborn morals - well - before that whole Allfather shit. But I hear she’s sane again, no small part to you I’m sure.” A sad smile sneaks up his face. He looked over at the many machines that had stopped whirring. Astia desperately wanted them to turn on, just to break the silence. “I miss Kashvi’s high energy, how she was always able to keep us in good spirits. I’ve gotten a few of her letters, still cheating a way around all this magic, huh?” He looked to Astia with a smirk, hoping for a laugh. Astia just stared back. His burned face made what Astia guessed was frustration. “My gods Astia will you say something? ‘Hi Daenan, it’s been too long! I missed you!’ ‘Oh hey Daenan, sorry for chaining you up and leaving you out of the big battle when our friends could have used you most and telling them I ran away instead.’ ‘What’s up Daenan, your horrific facial burns you got protecting me are healing nicely!’”

“GIVE ME A MOMENT TO BREATHE DAENAN.” Daenan’s angry face shifted to a sad head drop. “Let me breathe.” Astia said more quietly before she plopped down on the nearest chair blinking tears as she stared forward.

“Heh. Reminds me of the conversations we used to have.” He looked over to see Astia sitting in a wooden chair a size too small for her with her face in her hands. “Look, I should’ve told you I was coming. I should’ve realized it wasn’t fair to surprise you today.”

“No shit,” from muffled hands.

“But they were my friend too. They saved us all even if I wasn’t there for it.”

“You could’ve been there for it if you hadn’t been a self-destructive prick.”

“You chained me up.”

Astia hated thinking back to that day, the day before the battle that saved the world. The day after he had been burned protecting her from the remnants of the Crimson Rite they had worked to destroy Andy had sent to them. The day that Daenan told her he was planning to make another sacrifice for her and the rest. The day he planned to make the ultimate sacrifice using Kashvi’s machine. The day she chained him up and left him behind so that he might live. The day that he told her they weren’t friends anymore, when he said she wasn’t his sister anymore. The day before they locked eyes after the battle where he found himself freed and he stomped off without a word to her for six months.

“I told you then Daenan, I’ll tell you now. I wasn’t going to let you sacrifice yourself for us. You have to learn that you have value just like the rest of us.l I couldn’t bear to watch you give yourself up again. I was sick of it. You matter to me! I want to see you alive! If that means chaining you up and leaving you behind then that’s what I’ll do! I don’t want you to protect me if you’re sacrificing yourself, Daenan!” Tears were streaming from Astia’s face now. Daenan bit his cheek and sighed.

“I know.” He walked over to her and crouched down to put his hand on her shoulder. “I know, Astia.” It was Astia’s turn to sob, as Daenan took off his leather coat to pull her close to his chest, “And thank you for it. As weird as it sounds, thank you... for chaining me up and leaving me in Mysore.” The confusion Astia felt started to bubble over her grief and she pulled away with tears still dripping down her face.

“What?” She said in a quiet, cry-cracked voice.

“You were right. When I thought I was just being protective, I was really just a ‘self-destructive prick’. You were my whole world Astia, I didn’t give myself any reason to live except for you. I was consumed, it was unhealthy. I hate how things went down and I’m sorry I made you see me destroy myself using you as a justification. That wasn’t fair to either of us.” Daenan sat down cross-legged at Astia’s feet, running his hand through his soft brown curls.

Astia was shocked, had Daenan really grown this much since he’d left? How?

“And I’m sorry about what I said about us not being friends, not being brother and sister anymore.” Astia was about to cry again, she could feel it in her throat. “I...I came back because you’re still my family Astia. I’d love a second chance...well probably more like thirty-fifth, but you know what I mean.” Daenan had been keeping his cool so far, but it looked like he was about to falter. He turned away and started to choke out his next words stuntedly. “You don’t owe me one, but...if you’d let me back in your life I...I…”

Astia dropped down to the floor and pulled him tight to her this time, nodding her head. They both held a messy embrace, like only family can have, as both sobbed for what felt like both the rest of the night and a single stir of Orlaith’s bowl.

“Daenan, you’ll always be my brother. No words you come up with could change that.” She said, with the tears still in her throat, but sweetly. “I’ve missed you too.” They both sat in the quiet as they held each other, each waiting for the other to let go. The choking tears stopped, both could tell, but neither was ready to separate. Astia felt Daenan’s frame in her arms. It wasn’t the frail, gaunt body Daenan had carried before, unnecessarily putting the whims of others above his own needs. He’d put on some weight, healthy weight. And muscle. “My gods,” She whispered. “You’re.. _.healthy_.”

“And you’re soft, “Daenan chuckled and finally pulled away to wipe his eyes and look at Astia again. “Guess you haven’t stayed on the road like I have, huh?”

Astia shook her head with a soft smile and wiped her eyes as well. “Andy and I have a cottage on the edge of town. A mayor can’t really leave her town to go adventuring, Daenan. Besides, we’re doing just as much good here in town as we used to on the road, but here we don’t collect scars like coin.” Astia gave a laugh that felt a little forced. Her eyes shifted from Daenan’s marred face to Orlaith’s guest bedroom. “You know, you could always join us in town, Kashvi’s always building more homes.”

Daenan’s smile faltered a bit. “I’d love to Astia but...Maggs and I...we’re onto something here. Caliburnes may have been defeated, but It seems there might be some more remnants of the Crimson Rite than we thought. You see…” Astia let him talk about his newest quest to help save the world. She heard him talk about how he lived with the pack of wolves they saved outside of Redhold for a while, how he started to process what had happened with the monks of Ambadabi, and how he met Maggs again, and again, and again, until they decided to travel together. He was still the same old heroic Daenan, but he’d matured just as much, if not more than, the rest of them. “...And that’s when things started to get all steamy-like with Maggs- ‘steamy-like?’ Gods dammit he’s going to have me shouting ‘yeehaw’ by the end of the week.” Daenan grinned at Astia.

“Well, rest up here as long as you and Maggs need, you’re always welcome in my town, Daenan.” Astia rustled his hair a bit. “And whenever you’re ready to settle down, I’m sure Kashvi has the plans for your house drawn up already.”

“I don’t think I can settle down until I can convince Maggs of living in anything other than a ranch.” They both laughed heartily before Daenan stood up and held down his hand for Astia, who pulled herself up.

“I’m glad you’re back Daenan.” She said with her eyes welling up again.

“Oh NO! No. no. no. I’m seeing the others! I love you Astia but I don’t want to cry with you all day in a dark cabin. It’s supposed to be a celebration anyway!” He started making his way to the back door. “Besides, I saw Andy open the door and slowly back out while we were sobbing. I’m sure they’re getting antsy out there, if Palm hasn’t already blown them up instead.” Daenan’s mischievous eyes twinkled again, this time more at ease. He slipped his mask back on before heading outside. He stopped at the back door and looked back at Astia. She gave him a thumbs-up as she wiped her eyes with her arm, assuring him that his found family would always have a spot open for him. “Thanks, Sis,” He said quietly before walking out and being immediately rushed by the crew. Cries of greeting sounded as the door shut behind him and Astia thought she might've even heard someone say "Eek! A boy!" Astia felt tired, crying always took it out of her. She returned to the bowl that she was supposed to stir, which had definitely congealed in a way that made her question what she was stirring even more. Where was Orlaith anyway? It didn’t matter. Astia just stirred in the quiet with a tired smile, feeling purely pleasant that her friends were healing.

A blaring alarm went off next to Astia, and all of a sudden she was back to that day, smashing Kashvi’s machine in the Foretold’s camp after traveling back from chaining up Daenan. The machine made distorted blares and pained whirs as Astia bashed it over and over with Grothnarr’s club. Kashvi was trying to hold her back while screaming and crying. Grothnarr and Orlaith stood by uncomfortably watching Astia start ripping at the machine with her bare hands, tearing apart each and every one of the metal snakes Kashvi had used to build it. “ASTIA STOP!” Kashvi screamed, uselessly beating her hands against the Goliath’s toned frame. Astia couldn’t stop, she didn’t want to back then and couldn’t even if she wanted to stop now. Her hands were bloody and she had tears in her eyes. “I won’t let you! I won’t let you hurt her!” “ASTIA PLEASE!” Kashvi slumped down to Astia’s feet, bawling as the Empathicator gave a final warped beep. Astia panted as she stood over the bent and battered machine, Kashvi at its base frantically picking up pieces and sobbing. Astia turned to the others, “I can save Andy. I _will_ save her! I won’t let you all just...just kill her!” The blaring continued and Astia was back to beating the machine. Slamming the club and her fists into it repeatedly. “Astia stop!” She hears quietly. She feels a gentle hand on her shoulder, which feels more real than any of the others. “Astia, I’m here. Your beacon, I’m here.” She feels a gentle kiss on her shoulder, and everything starts becoming fuzzy.

Astia’s vision begins to come back and she crumbles to the kitchen floor, Andy holding her. ‘Who the hell left her in here alone with the timer on!” Andy yells up at the rest of the crew, which have adhered a safe distance away. Astia wheezes as Kashvi, Daenan, and Orlaith look around uncomfortably.

“Is Ms. Astia going to be okay, Andy?” asked Basil.

Andy gave a sigh, releasing her frustration. “Yeah, she just needs a minute, bud.” Andy looked at Astia who was lying down but holding her waist tight, then back up at the automatic oven she maimed, dripping smashed pies and exhaling a quiet hiss of steam from the mangled pieces. Astia’s knuckles were bloody and burned, but Andy had seen worse results after her flashes. Orlaith snapped out of the uncomfortable trance she was in. And gingerly stepped over to heal Astia’s wounds.

“Sorry, I should’ve known not to leave her here with the oven on,” Orlaith said guiltily as Astia’s gray-blue skin regrew over her hands.

Astia carefully started to sit up, still not letting go of Andy as she did. She hated the feeling of healing, but she couldn’t argue with the results, she always felt rejuvenated afterward, though her head still felt a little foggy. “It’s alright Orlaith, it’s not your fault. Andy’s just protective.” She smiled down at Andy. When they were both sitting up, Astia was still quite a bit taller than her. “Sorry about your oven, Orlaith,” she said before Orlaith shook her head.

“It had it coming I’m sure, darn thing has been undercooking my pies for weeks.” She said with a nervous giggle, giving Astia a final rub of the hands. Kashvi raised a finger and looked like she was about to defend her craftsmanship, but caught Andy’s glare and decided better of it.

“Come on you big lug,” Daenan said as he stooped down to lift her up under her shoulder. “Let’s get you to the couch,” he continued as they walked to the lounge area of the room, Andy holding her hand the whole way. Astia felt lucky, lucky to have her wife and now her brother with her to come down from her flashes. They didn’t happen often anymore, but that first month was so bad she wouldn’t leave their cottage for days at a time. Finding out her friend Milandra had gone to a college for therapy and counseling after they rescued her was a godsend for them. Using the tactics Milandra taught her and avoiding triggers helped Astia return to almost normal, besides the occasional flash. Now Astia was cuddling tight with Andy as she stroked her hand through Astia’s hair. Astia synced up her breath with Andy’s as they sat, bringing Astia back to the world while the others cleaned up the kitchen. The din of their chatter, the kids playing, and the sounds of cleaning were all the comfort she needed.

“Thanks for being my beacon, Andy,” Astia whispered.

“Of course, Love. I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t mine.” They snuggled closer, Astia taking up most of the couch as Andy ran her fingers gently up and down her wife’s shoulders. Astia could live in this moment forever, surrounded by her friends, her family, being held by Andy and smelling the wonderful scents of a fresh baking feast.

“I love you so much,” She said, taking her face out of Andy’s chest.

“I love you so much,” Andy replied, looking down into her eyes. Their gazes were locked and they studied each other’s faces, filled with scars and marks from their adventures.

“When did you know?” Astia asked, trapped in the amber of Andy’s eyes.

Andy gave a little nose-breath laugh, “I knew I loved you when we burned down my parents’ castle. I thought getting rid of them and their little tyranny would bring my mind to peace, but while we were sitting on top of the hill watching it crumble I felt something hot and tight in my chest. I looked over at your face, lit by the fire and you were already looking at me. You blushed and turned back towards the castle and I knew that you were the woman I wanted to burn castles with for the rest of my life.” She leaned down and kissed Astia’s forehead.

“Yeah, then you kissed me for the first time right then. I wish I’d been able to just go for it like you, but there really is something romantic about arson for you I guess,” Astia grinned.

“Well, how long did you know then?” Andy said playfully wiping Astia’s bangs off her forehead before they flopped back down.

“You always defended the lives of those around us, even if they didn’t deserve it. You reigned me in so many times, I don’t think I would be anything but a monster without you. It was the time you stood in between me and that slaver kid from Vascaldoraq, when I was about to kill him and you wouldn’t budge until I walked away, that’s when I fell in love with your heart. Then I think it was after we saved Arikara from Azara. I was so weak after we banished her to the death realm, but when you and Kashvi figured out how to remove the marks she left on my back that were connecting us I fell in love with your brain. Every time I saw you in the light of the dusk after we passed through Rotna, telling me your stories while we traveled, each and every night I fell in love with your face and your spirit all over again.

“Wow, those were all like, a whole year before me. You’re crazy for me babe.” Andy giggled as she teasingly massaged Astia’s temples.

“Crazy enough to deal with you and your-” Andy cut her off, lifting Astia’s face to her own in a melting kiss. Astia gave a satisfied whimper as they continued to embrace and melt into each other on the couch.

“Get a room!” Daenan shouted with a smirk you could practically hear under his mask from the kitchenette.

“Believe me, it won’t help.” Kashvi replied flatly, rolling her eyes.

“Let them be young and cute, Kashvi. Besides, I've had you and Harper over, are you one to talk?" Orlaith gave a mock-stern look as Kashvi blushed and turned away. "Don’t forget you two, the celebration is in just a few hours and I seem to have misplaced my pies,” Orlaith said with a wink. “Would you be able to pick some up in town, Astia?”

Astia gently pulled away and blushed as Andy bit her lip. “Uh, sure, yeah.” She said too quietly and her gray cheeks turned deep red as she grasped to regain clarity outside of Andy’s lips. She cleared her throat and sat up. “Of course, yes.” Andy held back a laugh under her hand. Watching Astia try to regain focus after they kissed was always funny, especially when her hair was as messy as it was. Astia could see her snickering and pulled her hair down as she went to grab the coin purse Orlaith had put out for her on the counter. The oven was almost completely fixed. She wondered if it was due more to Orlaith’s magic or Kashvi’s handiwork. Kashvi held up her drill and spun it as if to claim responsibility and snapped Astia out of her all-too-familiar post kiss daze. After some “see you soons” and a peck from Andy, Astia left to pick up the pies.

Astia walked down the steep, mountain path down to town. She was thrilled when the four of them founded the town in the mountains, her second home after she was banished from Arikara. They had brought with them refugees and freed people from all over the continent to give them a new, safe home. With all of the gold and favors they’d earned over their adventures, the Foretold were easily able to start work on the town. Kashvi quickly undertook engineering the town and supervising the building of homes and utilities for everyone. Orlaith fell into an administrative role, helping create and reunite families while helping settle disputes before settling into work at the town schoolhouse once the town solidified. Andy was still recovering from the damage done to her psyche and processing what she’d done, but she helped establish the town archive and library when she could, now hosting lots of activities for the local youth in the library and elsewhere in town. Astia was reluctantly elected mayor by nearly everyone involved in the town, much to her protest and chagrin. She’d come to value the role now though, doing whatever good she could, negotiating with other towns and resolving whatever conflicts arose. The town of Grothnarr Rock was known across the continent as a haven for anyone who was marginalized elsewhere and Astia was proud to be able to keep it that way.

Wildflowers grew on either side of the path. It was a thirty-minute walk into the main part of town, but Astia loved it every time. The birds and mushrooms sang their songs as she made her way to the bakery, passing the decorations the other townsfolk had put up for today’s festivities. She saw the giant recently finished crystal statue in the center of town draped in a red curtain almost from the cabin itself. Its huge, hidden figure waiting to be unveiled and projected into the sky tonight at the peak of the celebration. She waved hello to folks as she passed by, feeling both proud and self-conscious she was now one of the tallest in her town rather than the smallest like she was back in Arikara. The schoolyard was empty today for the holiday and most of the shops were closed early as well. She opened the door of the bakery to see a familiar mustache manning the counter.

“Hey, Trolani.” She smiled as he looked up and saw his face light up like the town’s new street lamps.

“My, my! Madame Mayor has entered my little shop here! I assure you, everything I've done this week has been above board, so no investigation needed!" He held on hand to his heart and the other up to make a mock promise. Astia raised an eyebrow.

"This week?" she said with a quizzical look.

Trolani waved his hand as if to abandon any malaise. "What can Grothnarr Rock’s best, most skilled baker and,” He switched to a comedic whisper “info broker” and then back to his jovial holler “do for you today?”

“Don’t sell yourself so short Trolani,” She replied with a smirk.

“Why, I can’t have my demand going over my supply Madame Mayor!” He joked back with a wink.

“I’m here for a few pies, have any left?”

“For you Madame Mayor, I have as many pies as you could ever want.”

“Well I just need three. Do you have…” Astia looked down at the note Orlaith had given her with the pouch, though it looked like one of the kids had gotten to it before Astia had her hands on it, so whatever flavors were there before were replaced with ‘butt’. “Uh…”

”I recall you appreciate a good blueberry pie, yes?” Trolani says with a twinkle. Astia thinks back to the first treats she had with her friends and by the gods, she does love a good blueberry pie.

“Uh...yeah, and surprise me with the rest?” Astia said reluctantly. Trolani’s eyes widened with a mischievous grin that made Astia regret giving him free reign. He headed to the back and returned a few minutes later with three pies, packaged and in a bag.

“I put blueberry on the top in case you want a snack on the way back.” He said with another wink. He twirled his mustache and looked away casually. “I’d wait until your feast to reveal those other pies.” He said trying to feign his own pride, a tall order for him. “And tell Orlaith to keep her coin, she doesn’t get paid enough for taking care of my little rascal.”

“How did you know-”

“You forget?” He tapped his finger to his temple and mouths ‘info broker’ to her. She rolled her eyes and they exchanged goodbyes.

Astia’s stomach grumbled on the way back. She didn’t realize she was so hungry until she kept smelling that heavenly blueberry pie. “Maybe just one berry,” she thought as she dug into the bag.

Astia finally made it back to the cabin door and could hear yelling inside again, though not as fun-sounding as it was when she had come back with the flour earlier. She wiped away the blueberry from her face onto her sleeve and looked down anxiously at the empty blueberry pie tin. By the gods she loved blueberry pie too much. This news wasn’t going to be received nicely with the vibes she was getting from inside, but hopefully Trolani’s surprise pies would do, as long as they weren’t Fantasy Sweeny Todd ones. Astia took a deep breath and opened the door.

It wasn’t pretty. Well, besides the actual women. Who were in fact, very pretty. Both Andy and Kashvi were already dressed up in their fancy attire for the night, Andy with her hair flowing and in a seafoam green slit dress and Kashvi in a dashing, slim, three-piece suit with her hair slicked back. Meanwhile, Orlaith was herding the kids outside while Andy and Kashvi were in a near-screaming match, with Daenan and Maggs looking like they would be eating popcorn if they could as they watched.

“How else is anybody supposed to know when something is done cooking?! How?!” Kashvi was shouting.

“I don’t know, but maybe not something that sounds like a continent-wide evacuation alarm?!” Astia screamed back.

“That’s just an exaggeration. Orlaith needs to be able to hear it from outside!”

“Well it doesn’t really make a difference when your wife is having a PTSD-induced conniption, Does it?!”

“I’m sorry that I can’t singlehandedly bring you the greatest invention of the year every _week _to your exact specifications!”__

“And where were those ' _astounding_ ' inventions when we were fighting Caliburnes? When Grothnarr used your busted-ass Empathy Catheter or whatever and killed themself to save you?”

“Wasn’t my fault we had to be there anyway," A vicious smile creeped up Kashvi's wide eyes, _ _" _Your Majesty _.”____

 _ _ _ _“____ DON”T YOU FUCKING CALL ME THAT.”

Andy lept at Kashvi. Daenan and Maggs lept up from where they were leaning on the couch but weren't fast enough to reach them before Orlaith threw her hands forward and a wall of frosted brush appeared in the middle of the kitchenette between them. “Calm. The fuck. Down.” Her oak leaf eyes and bright orange hair had turned frosty white and blue. Winter rarely made the rounds anymore, but when she did, she didn't take anyone's funny business.

Daenan and Maggs held Andy back as she tried to tear at the frigid hedge and grunted before slumping back. Kashvi remained trapped in the kitchenette behind the wall, out of view. Andy shook the boys off and glared at each of them before stomping outside making sure to avoid Orlaith's own glare at her. Astia could hear Andy brushing off the kids as she passed them before the door closed. The feast was supposed to start in an hour or so, and it was getting dark outside. Astia plodded in from her spot frozen in the doorway, dropped the bag of pies on part of the counter not covered in shrubbery, and let out a big sigh as she sat at the counter with her head in her arms. “Why the hell are we all so broken?”

Daenan stepped over to her. “It’s been a big day Astia, everyone’s already on edge from the celebration and then I came in…”

“You’re not the problem Daenan.” Astia turned to him with her nearly-patented tired smile. “But you’re right, it’s a stressful day. Let’s get to fixing this, huh?”

“Sure, Sis. C’mon Maggs, let’s ‘wrangle up’ those kiddos.” He mocked Maggs playfully as they let the kids in to distract them in their bedroom.

“At least now no one will care that I ate the blueberry pie on the way back, right?” She gave a very cringey smile and thumbs up to Orlaith, who did not seem amused.

“I didn’t even put blueberry on the list, Astia,” she said coldly.

Another Astia-sized sigh. “I doubt the others I got were on your list either.” She looked around the room. It had been cleaned while she was gone, though the giant, icy shrub kind of ruined the aesthetic. “You gonna leave Kashvi stuck in there or…” She gestured to the sealed kitchenette.

Orlaith took a deep breath in and then exhaled slowly back out her lips like she’d practiced with Milandra so many times before. Her face loosened a bit and she looked defeated. Orlaith seemed just a tad less frosty when she said, “It’s never going to be perfect is it?”

“We don’t need perfect, just each other,” Astia said. “We’re family. We’ll never be what each other wants, but we’ll always be what the others need.”

“My Athena, you’re already sounding like quite the politician.” The faintest curl of a smile appeared on Orlaith’s face before she snapped back to her cold persona. “But you owe me a babysitting night for that pie.”

“Yes ma’am.” Astia gave a mock salute. Orlaith rolled her eyes and shook her head as she reached out towards the frozen wall of plant. It began to recede into the ground, exposing burst floorboards where it had sprung up so suddenly. Kashvi was sitting on the ground, knees up, leaned against the bottom of the counter as she fiddled with the last individual slitherer of Coven, her snakes. She smiled sadly as tears streamed down her face.

“They could smile you know,” Kashvi said without breaking eye contact with the tiny, chrome snake. “This one is smiling right now. See?” She makes no move to get up but holds the snake marginally closer to Astia with her hand. “He’s all that’s left.” She pulled her hand back to pet the top of its head. “They were my friends too. I could hear their frequencies in my teeth all throughout our travels. They learned. ____They lived.____ Now it’s nothing but quiet in my mouth, just the tiniest little buzz.” As sad as that must have been, Astia still thought that couldn’t have been healthy. The little snake slithered through Kashvi’s fingers as she oscillated them. “You can’t make an Empathicater without empathy. In order to soak up all of the rage and wrath overcoming the kingdom from Caliburnes, it needed to have something that could understand, receive, and transmit that feeling, so Coven was integrated into it. When she was broken the first time, I could feel her hurt.” She looked quickly over at Astia and then back at her little friend. “When I was able to salvage what I could for our final battle with Caliburnes, she got destroyed when Grothnarr used it, except for this one. He’s stuck with me. He’s been here for me through this whole recovery.” She snuggled the chrome noodle up to her face and it caressed her cheekbone.

Astia took a moment to consider her next best course of action. She’d known about Coven and had already had time to process her attempted murder of a sentient machine with Milandra. Letting Kashvi talk wasn’t helping now. This was the time for a little tough love. “Kashvi, I mean this very lovingly, but you need to get over yourself.” Kashvi sat up a little, looking like she was about to object. “WE are here for you. We are your family. We’ve all lost friends, Kashvi. We’re all here trying to celebrate one of them. We aren’t those broken people anymore, Kashvi. We need you looking ahead, not at the past. That’s one of the things I love most about you! You’re always looking forward. Always asking ‘What can we do next?’ Well, right now I need you to buck up and apologize to Andy.”

Kashvi had no words. She was sitting completely upright and looked wide-eyed at Astia and then back at her snake. He slithered back up her sleeve and she slowly stood, looking resigned. “You’re right.” She turned to Orlaith’s fridge and let out a big breath through puckered lips and started slowly bumping her head against it. “Gods. I have this big brain, How can I be such an idiot.” She turned back to face Astia. “I’m sorry I was such a self-absorbed…”

“Prick?” Orlaith chimed.

“Prick, yeah.” Kashvi nodded and clicked her teeth. “And I’m sorry I made the alarm on the oven such an easy trigger, I’ll find a way to get the message across another way.”

“It’s alright hun, I’m sure you’ll figure that out. But you still need to go apologize to Andy.” Orlaith coughed. “And Orlaith for making her rip her floorboards.” Kashvi was about to protest when she caught Orlaith’s icy glare.

“Apologies Orlaith, I should’ve used those defusion tactics you’re always telling the kids about.” Kashvi took a deep breath and closed her eyes as if to demonstrate. “I’ll be over with some new boards and stain tomorrow morning before work.”

“You’d better” Orlaith huffed, her breath visible before it diffused with the air.

“Any idea where Andy went then? That was awful.” Astia pointed to the back door and Kashvi grabbed her coat quietly before heading out. “Uh... I feel like I say this too much, but thank you Astia.” Astia nodded as Kashvi closed the door behind her.

“Well,” Daenan stepped out from the bedroom door where he was listening in. “That was much more dramatic than her letters,” He said with an awkward grin.

“Shut up, Daenan,” Orlaith and Astia said in unison.

* * *  
Kashvi found Andy near the edge of the woods where Orlaith’s yard started growing taller and wilder without all of the kids’ trampling. She was sitting with her knees to her chest. Looking into darkened woods like she was trying to find something. Kashvi walked up next to her. “Mind if I sit here?”

“Kind of.”

“Astia told me I should talk with you.”

“Oh great. So it wasn’t even your idea to apologize.” Kashvi flinched a little. This was not going well, her motormouth wasn’t popping into action like it usually did. She just stood next to Andy, looking at her and then into the forest, trying to spot what Andy was looking at. It occurred to her that this might be a darkvision thing. She let out a tight breath. Andy looked up and let out a deep exhale, letting her lips motorboat. Kashvi could see there were tear streaks down her face. Andy patted the ground beside her dramatically to signal Kashvi to sit. She laughed bitterly, “Looks like we’re next on today’s wild therapy train.” Kashvi crossed her legs and joined Andy in the tall grass to stare into the forest. Now that she was low, Kashvi could see what they were looking at, lightning bugs. Lightning bugs were flashing on and off, lazily gliding in between the trees.

“You know, I don’t even get to see you at work like Astia does. How come you never want to see us anymore? And don’t say Harper, that’s a lame excuse and you know it.”

“We used to be best friends, Andy,” Kashvi said softly and sadly. The bug Kashvi had been watching blinked out and she switched focus to a new one.

“Yeah,” Andy whispered. She looked up. “I can see Grothnarr’s stars beginning to glow.”  
Both looked up and could see the bugbear’s face in the heavens, watching over them. “You think they’d be proud?”

“I think they’d want a whiskey.” They both chuckle and the sounds of the forest swallow them once again. “I’m sorry I meant to kill you,” Kashvi broke the silence.

“I mean...it was a good plan. I was like, super ultra possessed by the Allfather...or Caliburnes...whatever. The way he had me ruling the kingdom...I don’t like trying to think back to it. Who could’ve known it was going to be something cheesy like true love’s kiss that snapped me out of it?”

“Astia I guess.”

“And I’m glad to know you were willing to do what it took to save the kingdom if her big-brained plan didn’t work.” They were both lying back now, watching the stars fade in and mix with the lightning bugs above them. “Besides, we ended up needing your machine to defeat Caliburnes anyway, even if it meant Grothnarr had to...ascend.”

“Is that what we’re calling it now?”

“He became literal stars, Kashvi. What else can we call it?”

“I guess ‘ascended’ is shorter than ‘soaked up all the demonic wrath of the kingdom and faded into the great beyond leaving nothing behind but stars somehow shaped like his face,’ huh? I still haven’t figured that one out by the way.”

“‘Ascension’ is such a poetic word too.”

“Gods. You and those poems and stories.” Kashvi grinned wryly. Andy sat up and looked at her.

“See? This. Why don’t we just hang and joke like we did? You were- You are my favorite person to hang with. Outside of my wife. But still, that’s different y’know?” Andy laid back down, staring up at the sky again.

“I know.” Kashvi felt her guts knotting as she tried to think of what to say. “I miss you so much, but just like I told Astia, I’m scared to trust y’all again, however irrational that is.”

“Rip.”

“But it’s different with you, Andy. Again, I’m sorry I planned to sacrifice you, but to get to that point I had to make myself want to. To want to kill you. I dug deep into my feelings of betrayal and resentment and bitterness, and it took me a lot to get over that and I’m afraid of accidentally tapping into that again when I’m around you.”

“Double rip.” A breeze ran through the grass, blowing it across the stars like hands wiping away the light obstructing the stars. “Is that what happened inside?”

“Maybe. I don’t even know how my brain is betraying me these days.”

‘I can relate, Snake Lady” It had been ages since she’d used that nickname. Kashvi smiled ever-so-slightly. “But how about we hang out, maybe yell at each other, make up if we need to and hang out again? I mean, it hurts, but it hurts a lot less than not having my best friend in my life. And who knows, maybe we won’t end up in a vicious cycle of emotional hurt and comforting?” Andy said with a silly grin and bitter laugh. Kashvi rolled over and put her arm on Andy in an awkward hug. Andy wrapped hers around Kashvi to complete it.

Andy lifted her head up to look down at Kashvi on top of her. “Hey! I thought you came out here to apologize to me!” She said with a stern look.

“Sorry,” Kashvi said sadly, holding her friend tighter.

“And you should be, that’s no way to treat your-” Andy froze before she could finish her joke. Andy wasn’t ready for that yet. Kashvi felt her tense up and decided to do what she did best.

“So I heard your wife ate a whole blueberry pie coming back from town. She can do that?” Kashvi smiled as Andy relaxed again.

“Gods dammit. Again?” She said exasperatedly.

* * *  
Spring Orlaith had kicked into gear with a half-hour left until the feast. Her light pink hair frazzled and her bright green eyes frantic as she rushed to put everything together last second. She’d assigned jobs to everyone she could while she prepared the final decorations. Basil and Palm were to set the table, Daenan was supposed to bring the food outside to it, Lotus was to stay cute and not get their dress dirty, Astia was to put up the tall decorations no one else could reach, and Maggs was to guard the pies from Astia.

There were only a few streamers to put up so after finishing, Astia walked up to Maggs, the only other person not dashing around with a job. He looked uncomfortable in his formal wear, a white button-up with a slim black tie, slacks, and a fresh-looking cowboy hat. “Looking good, Maggs.”

“Naw.” He shook his head and waved his finger. “Watch yerself Chief. I’ve been given the _essential_ task of pie protection detail from specifically you, flattery will get you nowheres.” Astia punched his arm and leaned back beside him, jokingly eying the pies but noticing a couple of dusty, finger-sized dollops taken out of each colorful pie. “If anyone asks, I’m just gonna say it was you,” Maggs said with a smirk, not even glancing at Astia,

“A true gentleman.”

“People are coming!” Astia heard Orlaith yell from inside. “Astia, if you’re done trying to sabotage my desserts, go greet folks and lead them to our feast table in the yard!”

“And here I was thinking I was going to see some action protecting deserts.” Maggs joked, twiddling his toothpick in his teeth.

“You wouldn’t like door duty either,” Astia said as she pushed herself up to go greet. She gingerly said hello to Milandra, who could tell by the circles under Astia’s eyes it had been “one of those days” and that they’d talk about it on Tuesday. Trolani stopped in with another blueberry pie because he “heard it on the vine” that they were a pie short. Harper quietly greeted her and followed, her delicate features anxiously looking for Kashvi and Astia could see a small ring box in her talons. “Oh gods. That’ll be fun.” Astia giggled to herself, making a note to vaguely tease Kashvi about it later. More of their friends, new and old, came to the door and were excitedly chatting and catching up before the feast. Kashvi and Andy came from the tall grass near the woods, arms linked. Astia smiled again, glad that their little family was coming back together. The two hugged, then separated as they approached their significant others, Harper quickly shifting the box to her suit coat pocket as Kashvi hugged her from behind.

“Hey love,” Andy said sweetly, hugging Astia’s stomach.

“Are you two...good?”

“For the first time in a long while, I think so.” She gave a squeeze before letting go. “Thanks again for being my beacon, I love you and your crazy, simple, heart-filled head,” she said before standing on her tippy toes to kiss her. “I’m going to say hello to all our friends and show off my ring, you coming?” Andy said as she straightened Astia’s fancy cloak. Astia fell into her eyes yet again, swimming in deep pools of Andy all over again.

Orlaith’s voice snapped her out of it. “Attention all!” She looked much more put together now, with her pale green ball gown and smooth pink hair done up. Astia squinted a bit and started to see the frazzled look she had seen before letting the illusion take over again. Ah, the perks of magic.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to do it later, Love. Let’s sit, we’ll get seats at the head of the table if we hurry!” Andy said in an urgent whisper. They made their way to the head of the table, where there were already nametags at each spot, leaving the head of the table to Astia, with Andy and Daenan on one side and Orlaith and Kashvi on the other.

“If everyone could make it to your seats, we’ll let the festivities of the first annual St. Grothnarr Day begin!” Orlaith continued.

“When did they earn sainthood?” Daenan asked, tucking his tuxedo tails under himself and adjusting his lapels as he sat down and pulled his chair forward.

“Since they literally saved reality,” Kashvi said contentiously as she and Harper sat down as well.

“And we never said the saint of what.” Andy grinned as she adjusted in her chair. Daenan raised an eyebrow.

Orlaith stood on a small platform she’d pulled out of the house to use for keeping the festivities in order. First there was the toast, then the lights, and ending with the meal and inevitable degeneration, though not before the kids’ bedtime. “We begin the toast. You all will find a shot of Grothnarr’s favorite whiskey on the table in front of your nametag.” Her head snaps over to Palm. “Except for you kids, there better not be any there or you’re grounded.” The table laughs, Palm does not. “It’s their favorite brew, I had it special ordered from the guy they used to see for it in the alleys of Vascaldoraq. Sip at your own risk,” She chuckled. “We’ll take turns sharing our favorite memories one at a time, taking your shot after you share your memory with the table. Make it short, we have a lot to get through and I don’t want to be totally sobered up by the time we finish!” There’s an uncomfortable mix of laughter and “here, here”s “Don’t feel like you have to share, but do feel like you have to take the shot. If I’m doing it, you all are.” The table laughs again. “So who’s first? Go ahead!” Orlaith stepped down from her platform to join everyone at the table.

Astia found herself standing first. She looked around the table at all the family and friends that they had, that they’d all made. All the folks that their drunken friend had helped, saved, or befriended. Grothnarr deserved more than he ever knew. “Grothnarr stood up to slavers everywhere we went and never accepted that that was society’s way, going so far as to personally dismantle much of the Crimson Rite.” She heard some acknowledging hums as she took her shot and sat down, some of those freed people were here today.

Andy stood next, “Grothnarr showed me that Krakens can be Bees and Bees can be Krakens. That just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you have to be a monster, and just because you’re small, you’re not inconsequential. That and how to handle a stiff drink!” There were cheers as she took her shot, soon replaced by small cries of concern as Andy started coughing in a fit. Astia crouched by her with a cup of water ready, she knew the drill.

Kashvi stood up with Harper, holding her hand to help her with the nerves of standing up in front of so many people. Astia saw Harper reach for the box and made forced, wide-eyed eye contact with her and shook her head. Harper looked around and tucked it away again. “Grothnarr could always make the decisions the rest of us couldn’t. They could carry out whatever plan needed to happen. They are the reason we are all alive today. They bent the laws of reality to their will constantly and even in...ascension. I’m in awe of his will to do good, whatever it took.” Harper whispered in Kashvi’s ear. “And they were very good at killing.” They both took their shots and gently sat down, Harper’s talons digging into Kashvi’s wrists.

Orlaith stared down Daenan as they stood up at the same time before he sat back down. “Grothnarr helped fuel my fire when I had almost given up on saving all of those children from The Motherhood. Together we liberated those children, many of whom live in this town now. I wouldn’t have my kids without them.” She wiped her eyes with her glove before slamming her shot and sitting back down. Her kids had bundled around her chair while she had been speaking and gave her a tight hug attack.

Daenan bolted up next and Maggs half stood up, sat back down, stood up again, and embarrassedly stayed sitting, unsure of how he should react. “Grothnarr taught me how to defend myself without throwing my body in danger, a lesson I wouldn’t learn to properly use until after they passed. Without their lessons, I’d surely be dead and alone.”

One by one, each shared their Grothnarr story.

After all the shots had been taken, it was time for the lights. Everyone turned toward the giant, red-curtained statue, lit up by spotlights in the town square. “Will you do the honors, Mayor Astia?” Orlaith asked as she held the remote switch Kashvi had put together. Astia flipped the switch, causing the curtain to drop, revealing a giant, crystalline Grothnarr that could be seen for miles all around, shining in the spotlight.

“Look!” Milandra said, pointing up at Grothnarr’s constellation. Astia looked, amazed. The reflected light shone into the constellation, filling in the details of Grothnarr’s face.

“Oh my gods!”  
“What the hell?”  
“Stellar…”

Astia looked over at Kashvi, who was off in the tall grass again with Harper this time. Astia had thought that she was setting up something more complicated that spotlights, but this was something entirely astounding. She saw Harper bend to one knee, then Kashvi put her hands to her face and nod. Those crazy kids. She looked back up at the exact replica of Grothnarr’s face. “Wow…” she said.

“She asked me to draw them,” Andy said, sliding an arm around Astia’s waist. “I think they’d be proud.”

“I know they would be.” Astia kissed her on the forehead.

“Why am I surprised?” Daenan said, amazed as he and Maggs walked over holding hands. “Y’all are still the cutest couple on the continent.” Daenan leaned up against Astia. “I can almost feel them here.”

“Bashing you while you try and throw up a shield?” Astia said with a snort.

“Very funny. No, I mean like, I feel them watching me on the road when I look up, but now it feels like that but they’re here, with us.”

“Yes, I feel that as well,” Orlaith added as she joined the group, sitting down with the kids at their feet as they all stared up at Grothnarr’s stars. “It’s probably all this trashy liquor I had to buy though.” she chimed.

“Naw, for real. I’m not drunk, I definitely feel them.”

“You stole shots from two other people Daen,” Maggs accused in his monotone drawl.

“Doesn’t mean I’m drunk,” Daenan said as he stumbled a bit, a little disoriented from staring up, but maintaining his gaze nonetheless. Kashvi trots over with Harper and steadies him before walking over to link arms with Andy.

“Y’all aren’t going to be the only wives in town now.” She said quietly, but cockily, staring up as well.

“We were never the only wives in town,” Andy said with a small smile and shake of her head.

“Thank gods for that,” Orlaith said on the ground, petting Lotus’s hair as they fell asleep in her arms.

“She was going to propose during your toast,” Astia said matter-of-factly.

“What?” Kashvi looked over at Harper, whose head was on her shoulder. Harper just shrugged. “On brand I guess.” Kashvi snuggled her fiance's head while looking back up into the sky at Grothnarr. “It almost feels like they’re here, y’know?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!”

“Yeah but you’re drunk, Daenan.” Kashvi joked.

Astia looked down at her family around her, all staring up at the person that got them here. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she could see the mangy fur of a certain bugbear. She looked back up and wrapped her long arms as tight as she could over everyone. Groans arose from the mass of found family. “Thanks, buddy,” she whispered into the cool, night air.

And if it wasn’t for the drink, she could’ve sworn she actually heard “You’re fucking welcome.”


End file.
